HONG KONG (SE): Sister Alphonse Lui of the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres, died peacefully at St. Paul’s Hospital on October 2, at the age of 106 after 83 years in the religious life.
Sister Lui was born on 5 October 1914 to Catholic family and she entered the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres at 17-years-old on 7 April 1932. She made her First Profession five years later on 28 August 1937.
In World War II, she was among the sisters who were sent to Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam in 1942 and it was there that she made her Final Profession on 2 February 1944. She returned to Hong Kong in 1946.
For 41 years Sister Lui was a nursing assistant at St. Teresa’s Hospital and St. Paul’s Hospital with. Always eager to learn to catch up and add to her knowledge, she courageously and creatively overcame the difficulties she encountered in life.
She was hard-working, dedicated and steadfast in assisting the medical practitioners and taking loving care of patients, in particular the clergy and religious who occupied a special place in her heart.
She was so effective in her humble service and much appreciated by the patients and their families. She staying in touch with them and continued to communicate with some missionaries who had returned to their home countries.
From 1953 to 1973, she served with the Auxiliary Medical Service, the Hong Kong government’s voluntary medical and health services provider which delivers invaluable supplementary medical services during emergencies.
From 1974, Sister Lui continued her apostolic mission in Taipo, both at the parish where she took care of the sacristy, or at the former Star of the Sea Clinic which later became the St. Paul’s Catholic Day Nursery.
She retired to St. Paul’s Convent in 1991.
Sister Lui will be remembered for her cheerful and happy disposition, always seeing the good side of everything.
A Mass of the Resurrection was celebrated on October 9, at Christ the King Chapel, Causeway Bay, followed by funeral services at St. Michael’s Catholic Cemetery, Happy Valley.
Her family and the sisters are grateful for prayers offered for her eternal repose.
May she rest in peace.
